Disk bit and disk retaining means



Sept. 29, 1936. J. w. SPERRY DISK BIT AND DISK RETAINING MEANS Filed May 16, 1950 f/vug/v Toe JZIMEs [/1/ 53 5/62 X EX A 7' roe/v5 x Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE 2,055,615 DISK BIT AND DISK RETAINING MEANS James W. Sperry, South Pasadena, Calif. Application May 16, 1930, Serial No. 452,933

15 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary well-drilling bits and relates particularly to the construction of rotary disk bits in which the cutting edges are formed on circular disks revolubly mounted on the lower end of the bit body.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rotary disk bit employing a plurality of disks having the outer disks mounted on the outer face of supports or legs which project downwardly from a bit body. In this manner the outer disks are so placed that they cover and protect the bit body at those points where greater wear ordinarily occurs on rotary disk bit bodies.

A further object of the invention is toprovide in a rotary disk bit of the above character a novel form of bearing block adapted to secure the outer disks firmly and strongly in positions of operation, this hearing block having means for engagement with a leg or support of the bit body whereby the bearing block is caused to operate as an integral part of the bit body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disk bit having bearing blocks equipped with means for inner engagement with the bit body, such means being adapted to move to and from interengagement with the bit body along a lateral line of motion so that in event of loosening of the locking means employed to hold the bearing blocks from movement, engagement with the wall of the drilled hole by the disks held by such bearing blocks will prevent disengagement of the bearing blocks from the bit body. This construction prevents loss of disks and bearings in the hole, and the parts thereof are of such character that wear occurring during operation of the bit is confined principally to those parts which may be readily replaced. 5

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary disk bit having. the body with outlets or discharge openings for rotary mud so placed and directed that streams of rotary mud will be delivered against the cutting edges of the disk cutters employed in the bit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bit having a plurality of cutting disks operating on a disk axis of rotation so as to produce an action which will cause a very thorough mixing of the cuttings with the rotary mud, with the result of producing a better carrying away of the cuttings from the cutting zone and from the well by the flow of rotary mud.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disk bit having the disks thereof so placed that the power required to operate the disk bit is reduced as the result of the improved cutting action.

I have found that by placing the cutters with a very small lead a satisfactory penetration and removal of cutting may be accomplished with a much smaller torque than is now required to operate disk bits in which the disks are set at a relatively large angle of lead in order that such disk may cut a clearance for the outer disk supporting legs of the bit bodies.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective means for locking and se- 0 curing the bearing bodies in place on the bit body, and to provide the bearing bodies with shoulders for taking the thrust and wear of the cutting disks, thereby relieving the bit body from such wear and thereby preserving the bit body for a substantially indefinite period of time.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made evident in the following part of the specification.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only;

Fig. 1 is a partly sectioned front elevation of a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side. elevation corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of'Fig. 1 partly 25 sectioned on a plane represented by the line 3-3 of Fig. I.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing an alternative form of bearing block construction.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing 30 an alternative inner engagement means which may be used in securing the bearing blocks to the bit body.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1,

2, and 3, I employ a bit body 10 having a threaded 35 pin H at its upper end for securing the bit body In to the lower end of a string of drill pipe, and having outer legs or disk supports l2 and an inner leg or disk support [3 projecting downwardly thereupon. The disk bit also includes outer disks l4 and inner disks l5 supported respectively on bearing blocks l6 and I1, which bearing blocks are provided with cylindrical bearing faces l8 of proper size to fit the bores of the respective disks l4 and I5. Between the legs of the bit body [0 45 and bearing blocks 16 and I1 interengagement means are provided for producing an interlocking of the bearing blocks with the bit body in such a manner that with respect to a vertical application of force the bearing blocks will act in- 50 tegrally with the bit body [0.

In the preferred form of construction shown. the interengagement means are of the tongue and groove character and consist of laterally directed tongues 20 on the inner faces of the bearing blocks Hi and dove-tailed across the outer faces of the legs I Z, and dovetail tongues 22 projecting from the inner faces of the legs l2 and engaged by grooves 23 in the outer faces of the inner bearing blocks II. It is evident that the interengagement means operated between the bearing blocks and the bit body may include tongues formed either on the bearing blocks or the bit body, and that the tongue and groove structure may be of any interlocking type, although it is preferred to use the dovetail configuration shown in the drawing. The interengagement means, being laterally directed, resist displacement of. the bearing blocks relative to the bit body in vertical direction, and are of such rigid form carry the entire vertical loads transmitted from the bit body to the bearing blocks.

grooves 2| cut laterally The bearing blocks l6 and I! are moved; into and from engagement with the bit body it] in lateral direction, and during operation of the drill bit are secured against lateral movement by looking pins 25 which have the inner ends 2% thereof threaded for engagement with the threaded openings 27 in the inner or central leg 53. The pins 25 are provided with heads 28 adapted to be received in counterbores in the outer bearing blocks l6, and the shanks of these pins 25 project through openings in the bearing blocks 56 and l? and in the outer legs 52. The locking pins 25 support the bearing blocks in shear.

In Fig. 3 I designate a central meridian A-A which extends parallel to the axes of the pins 25 and likewise to the axes of rotation of the disks l4 and 55. From a center point C representing the axis of rotation of the bit body ill during the drilling operation I extend a line 30 at an angle a of substantially 10% relative to the meridian A-A, this line 3i! passing through the center of the bearing blocks it and representing the angle of lead for the outer disks M. This small angle of lead reduces the cutting-angle of the outer disk I4 relative to the bore indicated by the, dotted circle 3! and reduces the torque required to rotate the disk in engagement with the formation in which a hole is being bored. This setting of the disks may be also applied to the inner disks 55, but this is not of great importance owing to the fact that the inner disks !5 move at a relatively low rate of speed and through relatively small circular paths owing to the fact that they are disposed nearer to the axis of rotation of the drill bit.

Thebearing blocks l6 and H are'provided with flanges'or shoulders 'at the outward ends there'- of, which-flanges are engaged by'the disks M and i 5 during operation of the bit, and if desired a ring member 36 may be mounted on theinner end of each bearing block it to prevent engagement of the disk l twith the outer faces of the legs i2, and spacing rings may be employed in similar positions on the bearing blocks H, although they-are'not shown in the drawing" for the reason that during operation'of' the-drill bit the inner cutters-are moved outwardly as theresult of the cutting engagement which they make with the bottom of the hole being bored. A definite condition exists relative to the outer disk l 4; however, as these outer disks are in direct engagement with the side walls of the hole so as to be thereby forced inwardly toward the outer faces of the legs l2.

In Fig. i I show how the inner bearing members may be formed of cooperating halves 40 having shoulders 4! thereon for resisting lateral and structure that. they movement of the inner disks 42. One or both of these cooperating bearing portions may interengage the downwardly extending legs of the bit body with which they are used.

In Fig. 5 I show an interengagement means 44 which may be used in the practice of my invention consisting of a key-member 45 adapted to be mounted in a wall 46 representing either a portion of a leg I? or l3 or a portion of a bearing block H5 or H. This key-member may be made of hardened steel and may be driven in place in a dovetail groove 4'! in the Wall 65.

The member 45 is of. the legs of. a bit body and is adapted to receive ing means may be maintained without necessity of remachining or disturbing the bit body.

An important feature of my invention is. the provision of a discharge passage for each of the cutters employed on the bit body so that each cutter is continually washed and thereby kept free from accumulations of cuttings.

and E3, in which the inner disk l5 operate, and diagonal passages 53 which communicate with the vertical passages and deliver drilling mud against the forward edges of the outer disk I4, as indicated by an arrow 5 10f Fig. 2 The passages 58 and 53 are so proportioned that the drilling mud vn'll be properly distributed to the four outalong said path.

2. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having a central leg projecting downwardly therefrom and. outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg; outer disks mounted on the outer body and being placed with a Cutting lead of substantially 10 degrees; and inner disks mounted in the spaces between said central leg and said outer legs.

3. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having a central leg projecting downwardly therefrom and outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg; outer disks mounted on the outer faces of said outer legs; and inner disks mounted in the spaces between said central leg and said outer legs, there being a pair of fluid passages extending downwardly through said bit body so as to discharge into the spaces between said central leg and said outer legs, and diagonal, forwardly sloping fluid passages placed so as to direct fluid streams outwardly in planes disposed angularly to the planes of the inner faces of said outer disks into the spaces adjacent and lying inside of the forward portions of said outer disks.

4. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a disk; means for holding said disk in position for operation including a body having a supporting member, and a bearing block, said bearing block and said supporting member having interengaging tongue and groove parts adapted for movement into and from engagement along a single path tangential to the circle of rotation of said disk and transverse to the axis of said disk; and locking means for preventing movement of said bearing block relative to said supporting member along said path.

5. A disk bit of the character described adapted for the facile mounting of its cutters in different positions of operation, comprising: a bit body having a central leg means projecting downwardly therefrom and outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg means; inner bearing blocks between said central leg means and said outer legs; inner cutter members on said inner bearing blocks; outer bearing blocks disposed against the outer faces of said outer legs; outer cutter members on said outer bearing blocks; and securing screw members each extended through an outer bearing block, the outer leg adjacent thereto, and an inner bearing block, into threaded engagement with said central leg means, said screw member holding said outer bearing blocks tightly against said outer legs and tying said outer legs to said central leg means.

6. A disk bit of the character described comprising: a bit body having a central leg means r projecting downwardly therefrom and outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg means; inner bearing blocks between said central leg means and said outer legs; inner cutter members on said inner bearing blocks; outer bearing blocks disposed against the outer faces of said outer legs, said outer bearing blocks each having a radial flange at the outer end thereof; outer cutter members on said outer bearing blocks within the flanges thereof; and securing screw members each having a head at the outer end thereof and being extended through an outer bearing block, the outer leg adjacent thereto, and an inner bearing block, into threaded engagement with said central leg means, the heads of said screw members holding said outer bearing blocks tightly against said outer legs and the shanks of said screw members tying said outer legs to said central leg means.

'7. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a disk; means for holding said disk in position for operation including a body having a supporting member, and a bearing block holding said disk so that it will rotate on an axis lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the disk bit, said bearing block and said supporting member having interengageable tongue and groove parts adapted for movement into and from interengagement along a single path directed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said disk and toward the side wall of a hole bored by said disk bit so that disengagement of said tongue and groove parts in one direction is prevented by engagement of said disk with said side wall of the hole; and locking means for preventing movement of said bearing block a relative to said supporting member along said path.

8. A disk bit of the character described adapted for the facile mounting of its cutters in different positions of operation, comprising: a bit body having a central leg means projecting downwardly therefrom and outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg means; inner bearing blocks between said central leg means and said outer legs; inner cutter members on said inner bearing blocks; outer bearing blocks disposed against the outer faces of said outer legs; outer cutter members on said outer bearing blocks; and securing screw members each extended through an outer bearing block, the outer leg adjacent thereto, and an inner bearing block, into threaded engagement with said central leg means, said screw member holding said outer bearing blocks tightly against said outer legs, forcing said outer legs against the outer parts of said inner bearing blocks, and forcing said inner bearing blocks tightly against said central leg means.

9. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having an outer face; a cutter member adapted to be mounted on said outer face; means for securing said cutter member to said outer face of said bit body, said means comprising a bearing block for said cutter member adapted to fit against said outer face and having a transverse opening therethrough, and a securing screw having a head on the outer end thereof and passing through said opening into engagement with said bit body, whereby to hold said bearing block tightly against said outer face; and interengaging rib and groove means formed on and operative between said bit body and said bearing block for resisting movement of said bearing block in a direction transverse to said rib and groove means.

10. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having an outer face; a cutter member adapted to be mounted on said outer face; and means for securing said cutter member to said outer face of said bit body, said means comprising a bearing block for said cutter member adapted to fit against said outer face and having a transverse opening therethrough, and a securing screw means passing through said opening into said bit body and holding said bearing block tightly against said outer face, there being interengaging means operative between said outer face of said bit body and said bearing block.

11. A disk bit of the character described adapted for the facile mounting of its cutters in different positions of operations, comprising: a bit body having spaced outer legs extending downwardly therefrom; inner cutters mounted within the space defined by said legs; outer cutters adapted to be secured to the outer faces of said legs; and means for securing said outer cutters in operativeposition onlsaidlegs, said meanscomprising unitary bearing blocks adapted tobe secured against the outer parts of said legs and each. having an opening therethrough, and screw means having heads, on the outer ends thereof and passing through said openings of said bearing blocks into said bit body and threaded therein, said screw means being adapted to hold said bearing blocks tightly against the outer parts of said legs on which they are mounted.

12. A disk bit of the character described adapted for the facile mountingof its cutters in difi'erent positions ofoperation, comprising: a bit body having spaced outer legs extending downwardly therefrom; inner cutters mounted within the space defined by said legs; outer cutters adapted tov be secured to the outer faces. of said legs; and means for securing said outer cutters in operative position on said legs, said means comprising unitary bearing blocks adapted to be secured against the outer parts of said legs and each having an opening therethrough, and screw means having heads on the outer ends thereof and passing through said openings of said bearing blocks into said bit body and threaded therein, said screw means being adapted to hold said bearing blocks tightly against the outer parts of said legs on which they are mounted, there being interengaging means operative between the inner face of each bearing block and the outer leg against which. it is held by said screw means.

13. A bit of the character described, compris ing: a bit body having central leg means and outer leg means disposed on opposite sides of said central leg means, there being block receiving spaces between said central and outer leg means; blocks removably disposed in said spaces, said blocks being of a width to each engage said central leg means and one of said outer leg means; cutters carried by said blocks; and screw means passing through said blocks and exerting inward pressure against said outer leg means to force said outer leg means against said blocks and to force said blocks against said inner leg means whereby the rigidity of said inner leg means will be transmitted by said blocks to said outer leg means.

14. A bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having central leg means and outer leg means disposed on opposite sides of said central leg means, there being block receiving spaces between said central and outer leg means; blocks removably disposed in said spaces, said blocks being of a width to each engage said central leg means and one of said outer leg means; cutters carried by said blocks; outer blocks resting against the outer faces of said outer leg means; outer cutters carried by said outer blocks; and screw means extending through said blocks and said leg means, said screw means forcing said outer blocks against the outer faces of said outer leg means and forcing said outer leg means toward said central leg means.

15. A disk bit of the character described, comprising: a bit body having a central leg projecting downwardly therefrom and outer legs projecting downwardly in spaced relationship to said central leg; outer disks mounted on the outer faces of said outer legs, said outer disks rotating on axes each of which is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said bit body and being placed with a cutting lead not greater than 10 degrees; and inner disks mounted in the spaces between said central leg and said outer legs.

JAMES W. SPERRY. 

